A monster boyfriend who killed his pregnant partner, her two children and a friend with a claw hammer at a sleepover before raping one of the dying girls is facing life in jail.
Swindon man Damien Bendall, 32, today (Wednesday) admitted the murder of Lacey Bennett, 11, her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mum Terri Harris, 35, and friend Connie Gent, 11.
The quadruple killer also pleaded guilty to raping little Lacey as she lay dying during the cocaine-fueled massacre on September 19 last year.
The four tragic victims were discovered dead at a house in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, Derbys, with their skulls ‘smashed in’.
Prosecutor Louis Malby KC told Derby Crown Court they had been subjected to a ‘hideous, brutal and cruel attack.’
She said: “On the night of September 18 stretching into the early hours of Sunday the defendant brutally murdered Terri Harris, who was in the early staged of pregnancy.
“He also murdered Terri’s two children by a previous partner. He also murdered Connie Gent, a friend of Lacey’s who just happened to be staying at the house for a sleepover.
“It does appear that each victim was attacked in a different room. It appears that the defendant went around the house looking for them.
“The circumstances of the offences are truly hideous. These were brutal and cruel attacks on a woman and three children.
“The defendant attacked them using a claw hammer. He hit them with such ferocity that in essence their skulls were smashed in. It was perfectly clear none of the victims stood a chance.
“One of the dreadful facts about the case is that during the attacks the defendant raped 11-year-old Lacey. He raped her as she lay dying from the head wounds he had inflicted.
“Forensic evidence suggests that Lacey was assaulted in the living room before being moved. It appears that Lacey had been raped while she lay on the bed.
“A mirror had been propped up by pillows on the bed where Lacey’s head was. The placement of the mirror was a voyeuristic act as she lay dying.”
The court heard Bendall and Terri had met on a dating website about 18 months previously but had an ‘unharmonious and deteriorating’ relationship.
Bendall was a well-known criminal, a heavy drug user and also ‘showed interest in other women’ but Terri told her mum she still intended to marry him.
Connie was at the house where Lacey and John lived with their mother and Bendall for a sleepover on September 17 and asked if she could stay for a second night.
On the day of the depraved attacks, the children had put up a stall outside the house selling sweets to raise money for Cancer Research
That evening Connie’s mother sent a WhatsApp message to her daughter saying ‘goodnight’ as the youngsters were going to bed.
It is believed they were all attacked at some point between 9.42pm and 10pm that night.
Bendall called 999 the following day using Connie’s mobile phone to confess saying: “”Basically I need the police and ambulance now because I just killed four people.”
Bendall greeted police at the door and allowed them inside where horrified officers discovered the four bodies.
Lacey was found lying face down on the bed in her nightdress around her head with her back exposed in the master bedroom with her mum Terri found on the floor.
John was found in a pool of blood in the downstairs bathroom while Connie was found in the second bedroom. All had suffered catastrophic wounds to their heads.
When asked why he killed four people, Mr Bendall told officers: “I don’t know, I blanked out. It was like I was outside my body but looking in.”
He added: “Bet you don’t usually get four murders in Killamarsh do you – well, five, because my missus was having a baby.”
The court heard the night before he had taken John’s Xbox from his room, called a taxi and went to exchange the games console for drugs.
During the journey, he told the driver his night was “not too bad, a bit mad” and when asked what he had been up to replied: “Just chilling with family, really.”
Bendall previously denied four counts of murder and one of rape claiming manslaughter by diminished responsibility but eventually admitted the charges today.
Family members watched on from the public gallery as Bendall entered his pleas from the dock staring at the ground.
The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, imposed five whole life orders – four for murder and one for rape. Bendall will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Lacey and John’s dad Jason Bennett previously paid tribute to his children on social media writing: “Absolutely broken my heart into a million pieces.
“I didn’t protect my beautiful babies enough from the monsters and now they have been suddenly taken away from me.
“I’m writing this as I’m lost and broken on a 4 hour drive back home having just received heartbreaking news that my beautiful boy John and beautiful daughter Lacey have been taken away from me.
“Their mum Terri also lost her life and Laceys best friend was also taken away from the world.
“Life will never be the same. I love you both more than anything. Please look after each other.
“Gone too soon with so much to live for. I wish I could hold you and kiss you and tell you how much i love you. Thank you for making my world. All my love dad. Xxx”.
Connie’s father Charles Gent said: “The pain is indescribable. I wake up every morning hoping this has all been a terrible nightmare, but it’s not.
“It’s the unbearable reality that my little girl has gone.”
